MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. — Prosecutors told a judge Monday that workers at Northern Westchester Hospital believed Douglas Kennedy was a danger to himself or others while the defense argued that nurses were overreacting.

The prosecution opened its case against Douglas Kennedy Monday by calling four Northern Westchester Hospital employees. Prosecutors called Eric Hartman, the director of fire safety and security at the hospital, Angela Adamo, a charge nurse, Marsha Semple, maternity ward concierge, and Anna Lane, maternity nurse, to talk about what happened leading up to the incident involving Kennedy, Lane and nurse Cari Luciano.

According to the witnesses, hospital workers called a Code Purple, which means they believe there is an individual who is a danger to himself or others, and a Code Pink, which is when someone attempts to take a baby off the maternity ward, when Kennedy tried to take his newborn son outside.

On Jan. 7 Kennedy, the son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, was taking his newborn son Bo out of the maternity ward at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco for some "fresh air."

Prosecutor Amy Puerto said the witnesses were reliable because they "have no dog in this fight."

Defense attorneys, however, argued that hospital workers had no need to call either code since the father was not a danger to his child.

A video showing one security camera view of the nurse's station before the incident was played in court Monday.

Nurses Lane and Luciano, saw him and attempted to stop him, according to published reports. In their sworn depositions, Lane said Kennedy twisted her arm and Luciano said he kicked her.

Kennedy has pleaded not guilty to two counts of harassment and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors. Child abuse charges were dismissed in April.

Lane testified that when she saw Kennedy with the infant, she was just ending her shift as head charge nurse for the maternity ward. She said she came up to Kennedy to check the baby's ID bracelet and told Kennedy it was procedure for the child’s pediatrician to sign off before a baby can be taken off the ward before discharge.

Lane cried on the stand when asked to describe the incident in which she was allegedly injured as she and Luciano tried to prevent Kennedy from entering the stairwell with his baby.

Comments (13)

The point is the only family that uses hush money as a tool is a Kennedy. For anyone to suggest that the nurses stopped Kennedy from taking his child outside in January anticipating their assault so they could sue is nothing more than a Kennedy lackey or deranged.

I respectfully disagree...I believe it was the nurses who reached out to Kennedy with the offer they wouldn't press charges if paid....he told them to piss off and went with a trial in which I'm confident he will be found NOT GUILTY......A danger to himself and to the baby? Give me a break, Truth....

Jack54: So what if he was taking HIS child outside.Rules are rules and the nurses were doing their job.By the way,who in their right mind takes a newborn outside in winter not dressed for it? Why does anyone think the nurses wanted "hush money"

How do you know the baby wasn't dressed for it? The nurses over reacted and are making a mountain out a molehill...Kennedy will be exonerated and not because he is a Kennedy...because he was perfectly within his rights to take his child outside if he wanted...

There are rules. He broke those rules. If he didn't want to play by the rules that the hospital has in place he should have had his baby delivered at home. At the very least he should have ask permission to break the rules.

This is the nightmare of everyone who has to stay in a hospital -- the lack of security. Anyone can walk in and out of a patient's room. Admittedly, this is unusual because it involves a parent; however, hospitals must ramp up their security to protect all their patients, especially their tiniest and most vulnerable!